Spring Safety Tips

IT’S SPRING AND THE KIDS WILL BE READY TO GET OUTDOORS AND PLAY ON THE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. SAFE KIDS KANSAS WANTS TO REMIND PARENTS THAT GRASS AND SOIL ARE NOT GOOD PLAYGROUND SURFACES UNDER CLIMBING EQUIPMENT AND SWINGS. ON PUBLIC PLAYGROUNDS, OVER HALF OF THE INJURIES OCCUR AS A RESULT OF THE CHILD CLIMBING ON EQUIPMENT AND FALLING. THE GROUND SHOULD BE COVERED 12 INCHES DEEP WITH ENERGY-ABSORBING MATERIALS LIKE SHREDDED RUBBER, WOOD CHIPS OR SAND, EXTENDING AT LEAST SIX FEET IN ALL DIRECTIONS AROUND THE EQUIPMENT. IT WON’T PREVENT FALLS, BUT IT CAN PREVENT INJURIES OR REDUCE THEIR SEVERITY. THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION’S HANDBOOK FOR PUBLIC PLAYGROUND SAFETY PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR PROTECTIVE SURFACING AND AGE-APPROPRIATE PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FOR CHILDREN.